Indoor television antenna mounting



Oct. 23, 1951 F. E. DUDLEY INDOOR TELEVISION ANTENNA MOUNTING 2 SHEETS-SHEET- 1 Filed Jan. 17, 1949 w y w 0 2 7 Z 7 4 6 m x 7 z 7 2m 5 Z 5 3 Z 0 M J 7 a INVENTOR fiWz/QEDucZZ y 0612,23, 1951 F E DUDLEY 2,572,603

INDOOR TELEVISION ANTENNA MOUNTING Filed Jan. 17, 1949 2 SHEETS'SHEET 2 INVENTOR Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE g I 2,572,603 7 INDOOR TELEVISION ANTENNA MOUNTING Frank s. Dudley, Philadelphia, Pa. Application January 17, 1949, Serial No. 71,284

The present invention relates to indoor television antennae and mountings therefor.

A purpose of the invention is to simplify the manipulation of a television antenna in a' tempora'ry indoor installation.

A further purpose is to avoid the twisting and confusion of electrical connections which occur when an indoor television antenna is shifted about a vertical axis to orient it directionally.

A further purpose is to provide a convenient depending support for an indoor television antenna in an electrical socket which is downwardly directed from the ceiling.

A further purpose is to provide slip rings for conducting the current between a rotating element and a fixed element of a television antenna mounting.

A further purpose is to permit angular adjust ment as well as rotation of a television antenha, and preferably also of a reflector, preferably by. a rotating bearing and a universal joint mounting therefrom.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claims.

In the drawings I have chosen to illustrate two only of the numerous embodimentsin which my invention may appear, choosing the forms shown from the standpoints of convenience in illustration, satisfactory operation and clear demonstration of the principles involved.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic central vertical section of a television antenna embodying the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective of a variation in the mounting of Figure-'1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevation showing a variation.

Describing in illustration but not in limitation and referring to the'drawingsz' Many persons are using indoor television antennae under circumstances in which a' highly permanent mounting aflixed to the wall or ceiling is undesirable. Typical examples are hotels, apartments and rented houses, Where the mounting of brackets on the wall or ceiling is generally not recommended. Even with permanent bracket mountings, considerable difficulty is encountered in manipulation of an indoor television antenna, as the connections are likely to become twisted or broken.

The present invention is designed to produce an indoor television antenna which can be ad- .iusted directionally without difiiculty, and which can be mounted in an overhead electric light socket or similar fitting. without the necessity of 2 Claims. (Cl. 250-33) making any attachment to the wall or ceiling, or with minor attachment. The device is readily moved from room to room and will be recommended in many cases even where a more permament installation would be possible.

In the form of Figure 1, an insulating support 20, suitably of phenolic plastic or electrical porcelain, has an electric socket plug 2| at its upper end. The plug 2| carries no electrical contacts, but merely provides a support depending from an electric socket located in the ceiling and suitably downwardly directed. The standard electric plug screw thread is formed on the support. Below the screw plug portion 2|, the insulation is desirably flanged at 22, and then downwardly extended at 23 in a tubular body, shouldered at 24 and reduced in diameter at the lower end 25. Intermediate the length of the body 23 is an annular flange 26 which engages a disc-like guard 21, suitably of plastic, which covers and protects the fixed contacts to be described. Below the guard 21 is a flanged insulating collar 28, suitably of phenolic plastic, which has an outwardly extending flange 3B engaging below the guard and is shouldered at, 3! to engage and support a metallic slip ring 32 (suitably of copper, or brass) extending out from the plug, and having a terminal finger 33 located at one point on the circumference, extending through a slot 34 in the insulating collar 28 and into a groove 35 in the outer circumference of the plug body 23. The terminal finger 33 is contacted by a metallic bolt 36 with an electrically conducting terminal 31 in a slot 38 onthe upper side of the shield 21. A terminal screw 40 connects a wire 4| from the television set to the terminal 3'l.

Telescoping around the insulating collar 28 below the slip ring 32 is an insulating sleeve 42, suitably of phenolic plastic, which tends to hold the slip ring 32 from below. A second slip ring 43 similar to the first surrounds the plug support below the end of the insulating collar 28 and the insulating sleeve 42. The slip ring 43 has a terminal finger 44 extending inwardly below the shoulder 24 and electrically connected by a metallic bolt 45 to the opposite side of the shield 21, where a terminal 46 in a slot 41 threads on the bolt. A terminal screw 48 connects a wire 50 from the television set to the terminal.

Thus it will be seen that electrical connection from the wires 4| and 59 is made to the respective slip rings, which are themselves stationarily mounted below the shield 27.

Surrounding the reduced lower portion 25 of the plug support is an annular insulating spacer 5|, and below the spacer a housing 52 surrounds the plug support portion 25. The housing may suitably be a metallic casting having a bearing engaging portion 53 at the top, an annular body 5 below, opposite projecting tubular arms 55 at diametrically spaced points, and a handle supporting spider 56 at the bottom. The bearing engaging portion 53 engages the spacer 5| above and below rests on and engages the upper rotating race 51 ofa ball bearing 58 having a lower cooperating race 50. The lower race 69 is supported and held from below by a washer 6i preferably of insulating material and engaged by a cap bolt 62 extending axially into the plug'supq. port, the nut portion being received in a slot 63 thereof.

supported thereon, and the race 57 and balls of the bearing.

The spider 56 at the bottom of the housing supports and suitably makes bolted connection with a handle. 84, preferably of wheel-like char-. acteigmounted at the. bottom of the housing and accessible to the user for turning the antenna.

The antenna may be of any suitable character, but in the form of Figure 1 is shown as a rod or tube 55; having a span 66: extending from end to end, and reversely. bent endportions 61 at each. end terminating in shorter return bent spans 68. The antenna is suitably mounted in and insulated from the housing by insulating plugs H1, preferably of phenolic plastic, suitably provided with openings H through which the antenna spans pass, and having plug portions E2 extendinginto the.- tubular interiors of the. arms 55,01 the housing. The interior of the housingv ishollow and. therefore the antenna is properly electrically insulated from the housing. throughout. Connections are. made to the opposite ends of the antenna by. electric contact screws F3 in the plugs beyond; the. arms of; the housing which connect by terminals and wires 16; to brush terminals 15 insulated from. and held by insulating bushings 16 on screws 11 mounted in the upper.- portion of the.- housing at diametrically opposite points. Brushes; 18; from each of the brush terminals engage onev of the slip rings and maintain contact therewitlr as the antenna is rotated.

The form of Figure 1 may be modified ifde sired to permit rockingas well; as rotation of .the antenna, and to provide for the use of a reflector. This, shown in- Figure 2 where; the plug support and. slipring construction is; the same as that in Figure. 1. The electrical; soclget 89 has been there. illustrated with the plug screwed into the same. The arms- 55.- Oithe housing have been extended out f-arther'than in theform of Figure, 1, and carry at their ends universal jointballs 81. The. antenna 65. ishere mounted by the insulating plugs- 10 on) atube 82 surrounding butspaced from the antenna and carrying at one side a universal joint ball 83;. The balls SI and 83 are locked between resilient socket members 84' fastened bya screw 85 atthe center and having at opposite ends socket halves 85 which engage on either side of-the balls. The universal joint is thus subject to rocking either on a horizontal axis, a vertical axis or adiagdnalaxisto achieve angularity in adjustment of thetelevision antenna. in addition to the rotation of the housing on the main axis. At the opposite side of the housing, an identical universal joint; is provided, with insulating plugs I0? exen i h ugh e t be .2. and av ng o y it Thus it will be evident that the ro.-.. tating parts consist of the housing 52, the parts.

single center opening for carrying a wire or tu= bular reflector antenna 81 which is locked to the plugs by set screws 13'. Since it is not necessary to connect the reflector antenna to the receiver, the set screws 13 in this case do not need to function as electrical terminal screws.

In operation it will be evident that the device can be installed very simply by unscrewing the lamp and removing the shade from an electric light socket downwardly directed in the ceiling and screwing in the antenna mounting device of. the invention. The stationary wiring connections 4| and 50 are then made to the television set, after which the device is ready to operate. In operation of the form of Figure 1 it is simply necessary to turn the handle 64 rotating the antenna until maximum efiiciency of reception is obtained. With the form of Figure 2 the antennav and reflector antenna are rotated together, and once the preferred main orientation is established, minor adjustments in the antenna, can be madev bothabout, the vertical axis and the horizontal axis and also about any diagonal axis by grasping the tube 82 and rocking or swinging the antenna in the desired direction freedom being obtained in; theuniversal joint. Similarly the reflector antenna, may be. adjusted to. agree therewith or to vary in, any; desired degree from the setting of the antenna. In caseit is necessary to move the device from one room to another, this canv be done very simply. by disconnecting the fixed electricat connections; 4l and 50, and then unscrewing theplug from the electrical socket.

It willbe understood. hat. in View of; the, fact hat the n c i ns ar dia ra ma ic. no. attempt has been made to conceal the; leads, brushes or slip; rings; in the,- outer; contour-of the device, or to style the device so that; such opertin hanism w ll l nd; in with; the, overal a ne ran et w llv b understood. that such changes can be made withgut departing from h p ncipl s of e ntention.

In some cases it may be desirableato, useza spe,@ ci l socket; ittin on. the ceiling, rat r than. an le tricnip; socket to upport the antenna, a shown in Figure 3.. In this fornrasocket8'82desirably having; the electric lamp thread, is mounted on the ceiling-9ll by; screws 9 I thus hold.- ing the plug of theantennain. the. same. manner as a lamp socket.

In viewof'my; invention and disclosure variations and modifications; to meet individual; whim or particular neediwill' doubtless become evident to others skilled in the; art, to obtain all' or part of=the.benefits of my invention without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore; claim all such. insofar as. they. fall. within the reasonable spirit and scope of'my claims;

Having thus. described my; invention what I claim as newand desire: to securezby Letters Patent is:

n a; elev s ns an nn crew plus a apt-edits engage a; socket,v slipaiings, on. anddepend-mg from... th p u terminals on the plug Q BJ QQPQ Q th sliprin siaahearing on therlua a housing rotatablr inthe bearing brushes. 0n he" ou n en agi he. r pective slip-.- rin s a; un-irersalgjoint, connected: to the. housing, and a television antenna mounted onmthez universal joint andelectrically connected-to the brushes".

2. In a, television antenna, a. screw; plug adapted to engagei atsocket, slip rings. on and depending-from: the plug,-v terminals on. the. plug conn q led; tothe slip ,rin ,-.a. bearing. on the plug a housing rotatable in the bearing, brushes on the housing engaging the respective slip rings, a universal joint connected to the housing on One side thereof, a television antenna mounted on the universal joint and electrically connected to the brushes, a second universal joint on the housing at the opposite side thereof and a reflector antenna mounted on the opposite universal joint.

FRANK E. DUDLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Carter July 11, 1933 Jenkins Apr. 30, 1940 Brown Jan. 6, 1942 Mims Aug. 11, 1942 Fener Oct. 20, 1942 Vogel June 20, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Oct. 16, 1939 OTHER REFERENCES QST for October 1938, pages 61 and 62, 

